I think Michael Page is also on a right track. A mistake a lot of map theoreticians make is to too generally lump together all maps as arguments. Yes, that is true on some level for every human mark made over the course of history, but where there is a formal, intentional argument, it often gets made (as in tagged maps) ON THE SURFACE of a reference map. The bulk of the reference layers (which is what the basic Google maps are) are used as just that — reference — for the main point of the map, which might be included within the publication, sketched on top of it for public display, or somewhere in between (MyMaps).

It’s like a stage performance. Sometimes (like a Rockettes show) the stage setting is a lot of the point of the show. Sometimes the stage setting is designed specifically to enhance and push forward a specific performance. An sometimes it is neutral, intended to say, here is the framework I have built to hold up the performace; now pay attention to the performance and only the performance, not to the stage.

When a cartographer is designing a reference map alone, she/he is creating the equivalent of one of those outdoor amphitheater in the park things, meant to be used by a variety of performance, all of which will be played out on the surface of the cartographer’s existing map.

In my opinion, what is around the bend for Google Maps (and their consumers) are real-time data linkages between their online spreadsheets apps and their mapping applications (it already there for more specialized entities). This is already evident in third-party apps like EditGrid (Google certainly has an eye on them) that can generate a kml (but with some limitations). For cartographers, I think the maturation of such technologies and public acceptance/incorporation of them will further define the role (and importance) of cartography in the digital medium. In the meantime, consumers of these technologies will continue to markup, plot, and overlay.

While MyMaps is a good step forward, there is still the crucial aspect of having to write your own code (or wind up using someone else’s which may not do what you want).

What’s next? There was a blog post somewhere recently captured on Planet Geospatial that was the first suggestion that Google Earth etc. was starting to acquire some analytical capability, no doubt eliciting loud groans from Redlands, Ca.